Queen of Arcadia: Drake's Quest
by Lady Razeli
Summary: Xena has been taken to Queensland and now its up to Drake and his noble Lord Seymour to help retrieve her from the clutches of Lord Holt and the apprentice healer. Can Xena survive in the barbaric lands ruled by men who turn to wolves?
1. Queensland

Drake's Quest

By

Lady Razeli

Disclaimer: I do not own Xena, MCA Universal owns it. I do however own Drake and other characters not originally in the series, they are my own creation.

Queensland

"Where is my daughter?" Cyrene demanded to Lord Milton.

"The Queen has been kidnapped by Lord Holt, the King has gone to Queensland with Lord Seymour to fight for his manhood, honor, and most importantly his Queen," a guard stated proudly before Lord Milton could speak.

"And you let him go!" Fiona suddenly thundered. Lord Milton immediately began to cower at her thundering voice.

"Well what was I suppose to do, he's the king?"

"Chain him up in the dungeon until he gave up his crazy mission!"

"Lord Milton, you did the right thing," Cyrene told him annoyed that Fiona cared so little for her, but she was hardly surprised.

"This palace is in horrible condition," Hecuba commented as they walked in followed by Gabrielle, Herodotus, Sarah, Lila, Naomi, Torres, and his eldest son, Lyceus followed holding his three month old sister Cyrene. Next to enter the crowded room was his six year old son, Sean, his five year old, Camille, Amy was four, Nina was three, and finally the two year old Terri.

"Repairs are being made," Cyrene told her quickly before Fiona could reply. She had started enough trouble in the Amazon village.

"Where is Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"She's been kidnapped," Lord Milton told her. "Now everyone settle down, I'm sure King Drake will prevail and kill Holt for his transgressions."

"I hate this I can't stand waiting."

"Auntie Gabby," Sarah said pulling on her skirt. Gabrielle looked down and smiled at her niece, who she couldn't believe she had. "Will Aunt Xena be all right?" Gabrielle smiled at the fact she called Xena Aunt.

"Of course she will Sarah, she's Xena after all."

"What about Uncle Drake?" Sarah asked. "He promised me a ride on Argo."

"Sarah, now is not the time to be thinking of yourself," Lila scolded. Sarah looked at her with innocent eyes, but didn't say anything else.

"Lila she's young lighten up," Gabrielle told her than she turned to Sarah. "They're both going to be fine and you'll get your ride on Argo." Sarah smiled happily.

"Well I for one will not stand around here, my son is in danger."

"My daughter is the one that's in danger."

"Who cares, they're both in danger. We have to help them," Gabrielle said.

"No!" Emily exclaimed coming inside the room. "Are you all out of your mind, they're in Queensland, if you waltz into Queensland on the famous high horses of Arcadia you will start a war this country is not ready for. Why do you think Drake didn't go storming into Queensland with the entire Army now he left Lord Milton and I in charge until they come back and I've just finished making sure they have proper back up at any given moment. We have our orders and that is to continue to rebuild this country back to greatness. War has torn it apart and our brave men will have to fight again for Greece. We can't afford to fight another long war here."

"Queensland, oh no my baby!" Fiona was in hysteria after that. She said she would personally behead anyone that went into Queensland without permission and got her son killed because of it. Cyrene worried as she tried to focus on her grandchildren. She missed her granddaughters, but they were the heirs to the Kingdom, they were waiting to whisk away to Sultry if necessary as Xena had instructed.

"Cyrene, I really think we should go in after them," Gabrielle commented as she paced in her room.

"Gabrielle, I know you love my daughter, and I wish you could, but Queensland is a lawless place. I've been brushing up on my history of this world in my spare time. Women are treated worse than slaves are. She can only safely be claimed my a man and if Holt just leaves her there she will find herself greatly out numbered."

"Xena has beaten the odds before." Cyrene nodded.

"Yes, but not like this. Holt will not touch her she won't let him, but in a sense she needs him to survive, Queensland is vast and there is never any way to tell how far away you are from civilization."

"She has magic, she can open a portal." Cyrene shook her head.

"Queensland is most famous for zapping the strength of women that is to say their magic and in times of war the men too. The men of Queensland have no magic though some of their ancestors through their mothers of course once had the gift. But we must not enter until we are sure we can get them out unharmed. I'm begging you to just be ready." Gabrielle nodded and sighed.

"I will give him time and than I am going after her." Cyrene nodded.

* * *

"You're a vile and disgusting piece of shit!" Xena exclaimed as they walked. Holt's magic had been zapped as they walked the barren lands and his horse had died. The apprentice followed them with his medicines, even his gift was completely useless and Xena's stopped working the moment they had set foot on Queensland soil. A Queen and here she was walking with a torn dress, no shoes, and worst of all she was filthy. 

"Will you shut the fuck up!" Holt exclaimed. "Goddamn I mean God, I was going to marry your ass, kill Drake, and than invade Arcadia with the armies from Sultry and Glacial, but you just don't shut up. You're like every other woman you just nag and nag." He went on and on about how she nagged. Xena merely smirked. "Now I just think I'll kill you. You know what you're lucky I need my son growing inside your belly or I would have slit your throat by now."

"You couldn't slit my throat with two daggers and a sword." After drugging her until there was nothing left to drug her with Holt hadn't heard the end of Xena's voice even at night. It wasn't hard to make sure that Holt would be up all night and than she got some sleep. The truth was she could have killed him before he even knew it, but they were in Queensland. She needed him to survive. The men of Queensland would not challenge is hold over her, but if she killed him all she had left was the healer's apprentice he would be dead before she could blink. That meant she was up for grabs before she even learned to truly survive among the men of Queensland.

"Ha!" Holt exclaimed.

"You're delusional if you think you could hold me so easily," Xena told him.

"You're a weak woman, you're just mad because I saw that."

"If I'm so weak, why drug me to kidnap me or keep me drugged even after you got away. Too scared?" That seemed to get to him and for the next hours Xena taunted him until they reached the city of fires. The only building was a castle that was really tall sticks of wood stuck in the mud that were obviously burnt surrounding a hall where life of the court and King took place. There was no such thing as privacy here.

"Oh my," Xena breathed as she saw two naked people having sex. The woman was of course crying it must have been her first time. Another man was physically beating a woman, while another one walked away from a man carrying her fur clothes. They walked through the sea of camps with wild eyes following them. The people of Queensland wouldn't attack until you gave them a reason to do so. The men hovered over fires as they guarded their meal as if at any given moment someone would strike and steal it away. They saw that very act take place. Children had to form groups and ambush huge men for food. They were dirty and naked. Xena's heart went out to them immediately.

"We're here, now he'll never be able to get us," Holt laughed. Xena was highly disgusted as they found a place that wasn't occupied. The apprentice got wood and neither of the men could figure out how to start a fire, which made the men around them laugh and call out to each other as they ate. Blood covered their mouths, as they didn't cook their meat. There was a stack of wood in the middle of women and children. None of the men offered them a torch to start the fire and refused to give them one. In fact they beat them back with sticks or a dagger if they were particularly cruel.

Xena easily broke out of her chains, there was no way she was voluntarily staying in chains to give him a false sense of security. They laughed even harder and made even more jokes. She went over to the women and they shrank back from her. She ignored them and lit a fire. Before she knew it, she was hit. She hadn't even heard him come up to her and that was a first.

"No fire." He growled and the women and children hurried to put it out though they were hoping that they would leave them alone and allow them the fire for once. Xena eyed the man taking in his features.

"You'll pay for that," Xena told him. He merely laughed and told Holt to keep her in check or he would and that would mean she was his to take and give away as he pleased.

"Start a fire," Holt ordered. Xena looked at him and refused.

"Start your own damn fire." Xena took out the blanket she had been wrapped in and lay down. Holt just barely restrained himself from hitting her. He knew better. Holt had to steal from another man, he was only chased back to his stack of wood for this misdemeanor. They cooked the meat and held off the children with fire. He only had to beat up a teenager and a slightly older men before the young ones backed off and the older ones weren't interested in their meat tonight.

"What's that?" The apprentice asked crying. No one noticed the now injured child lying on the ground except them.

"Just a bastard," Holt commented. The apprentice looked away and stared into the fire as he ate. Xena however could not and would not ignore the cries of a child. She stood up and walked over to the poor boy. The one who had wounded him growled at her. He reminded her of a dog and when he crouched over the child to keep her away she hit his nose.

"Bad boy, no!" Xena said. He backed up in pain as he made whiney noises that reminded her of a hurt wolf. Than Xena remembered an important detail from what Drake had told her of Queensland a long time ago. The men could all turn into wolves, that was their power, but it seemed like something as natural as breathing. She had to hit him twice more in the nose before he got the message. To punish him, she took his meat before lifted up the naked child and carried him back over to Holt and the apprentice.

"What the fuck is your problem!" Holt exclaimed. He got very angry and tried to hit her, but before he could hurt her she side stepped him and he face planted.

"Don't cross the line again or you will be sorry," Xena told him. She took the child to her blanket and lay him down. She checked him over and made sure the boy would be okay after some rest. He wasn't injured to the point of broken bones or open wounds.

"You must be at least five years." She cooked the meat to spite the man she had saved him from and fed him. It was quite a lot of meat she had stolen and she offered it to the other children after she did the nose thing and they stopped attacking. They merely had to ask when it came to her, but they didn't know the meaning of the word ask. The children surrounded her and the women didn't seem to notice. It seemed this occurred with any woman who managed to get meat as another woman brought meat and half of them went to surround her, but they didn't attack.

"Maybe its Holt and the apprentice that made them attack," Xena muttered.

"Hey I have a name you know, its John." Xena ignored him. The three-year-olds sensed she had milk and went straight of her chest. She tried to fight them off, but there were too many until she stuck meat in their mouths and they backed off for the moment. Xena sighed as she lay in the middle of a hundred children in her opinion. They all slept as peacefully as possible. The one she had saved slept beside her with his messy blond hair, he was cuter than the rest.

* * *

"My lord we have been walking for hours, don't you think it would be smart if we stopped and rested," Lord Seymour suggested. 

"Lord Seymour had I known you would bitch, I would have brought my cousin instead."

"I'm sorry my King," Lord Seymour replied. "But we're no good to the Queen if we're tired and starving." Drake stopped walking. They ate their meat raw are hunting and finding no wood around them.

"God, why anyone would want to live here is beyond me."

"You forget they're animal, the raw meat suits them and the lack of wood makes them no difference. They've got plenty of water too if you can dig it up." Drake groaned as he began to dig. They were low on water and it would be nice if he could find some more.

"I hate not having my powers or my horse."

"Thankfully Sir, we don't rely on either to win a fight." Drake nodded and grunted as he dug. "You never told me how we were going to get her out of the city."

"Simple, all we have to do is challenge Holt to a fight and once I've killed him as far as they're concerned we won her. Than we walk out with her and if anybody tries to stop us you will fight one and than we can go."

"Great, I was just about to ask when I got to fight." They laughed and Drake kept digging. He found water, but he had to lower his head and drink that way, as did Lord Seymour.

"My God I feel like a damn dog," Drake grumbled after he drank some more water in the morning.

"Don't we all when you look at what we've been reduced too. Drinking water like this and eating raw meat. Its barbaric." Drake nodded.

"Come on we still got a ways to go and I'm hoping we don't run into nobody until than. Perhaps in the city they eat cooked meat and we at least got a bowl to drink water out of." Lord Seymour laughed.

"Hell if we eating like we were last night and drinking water that way. It must be the same in the city."

"Maybe so, but think of it this way, the sooner we get there we find Xena, and the sooner we do that we fight and when we win those fights we go home."

"You mean after walking this same dusty path for miles until the border."

"Right." Lord Seymour groaned and picked up his sword before following Drake and scavengers descended upon the remains of their dinner and breakfast. The sun was already hot and the sky was dark, as ever it seemed.

"I don't understand how it can be so damn hot yet so dark!"

"Shut up, I swear if I ever have to do something this again, I will have to have so great a need for you that I can't leave you. Otherwise consider yourself excluded from accompanying me." Drake was hot and thirsty. The last thing he wanted to hear was Lord Seymour complaints. "Animal on the battle field, but ask him to walk anywhere in the hot sun with no water and he starts bitching. Bet he's gone longer without food."

"I have, but its different when it comes to water," Lord Seymour answered. Drake refused to dignify him with an answer and trudged on. To take the edge off Drake thought about Xena, which gave him hope and made him feel happy. He thought of his daughters, who would be devastated without their mother and that broke his heart. Lastly he thought of Lord Holt and how he was going to rip him to shreds the next time he got his hands on him. Knowing Xena, she wouldn't want it to be the last thing she did especially when he thought of Eve and Melody.

"Just think if the Queen was pregnant we'd have an even worse crisis on our hands." Drake paused he had an idea. "What my King is something wrong?" Lord Seymour hoped there was nothing wrong, there was little he could do in the middle of no where after all.

"Lord Seymour, you can't tell anybody especially when we get back, but the Queen she um…pregnant and we think perhaps with a son this time, maybe even two sons."

"Two sons!" Lord Seymour shouldered his King and picked up the pace. "You must not be all tired out for the fight, to the city!"

"Now I have my warrior back, onward Lord Seymour!" Drake was laughing in his head a little, now he didn't have to walk and he avoided being in Lord Seymour's bad graces by asking him to carry him.

* * *

"How do you think Xena is?" Eponin asked Ephiny in her hunt. 

"I don't know, Gabrielle's letter said she had been kidnapped again."

"What!" Eponin exclaimed loudly.

"Be quiet, you'll wake the girls," Ephiny scolded in a lower voice. Eponin grinned and covered her mouth as they listened. When they were sure the girls were still asleep the conversation began again.

"Now who kidnapped her?"

"Lord Holt Moscow's resident playboy. His powers charmed the whole court and Xena. He slept with some of the women, but his powers weren't as strong as he had hoped on Xena and he failed. Anyway after the first attempt and kidnapping which you heard about, they tried and succeeded again. The apprentice healer drugged her and of course she didn't see it coming because she was taking herbs for her side wound. She's probably woken up by now, but she can't kill Holt yet not until Drake gets there at least or they reach another border off Queensland. Whichever comes first. I couldn't imagine being so helpless like she is now."

"Knowing Xena, I don't think she's as helpless as well imagine, she's Xena."

"You're right, I've never seen Xena in a situation she couldn't find her way our of or survive in for that matter until opportunity knocked." Eponin nodded. Eve walked in all crying and rubbing her eyes.

"Mama," She cried.

"Oh the poor baby, I bet since Xena got back from Sultry she hasn't spent more than a few hours away from her. It's been nearly a month now and all she does is cry at night. Not long after Ephiny began comforting Eve, Melody began crying. She missed her mother's milk it was always ice cold, now all she had was warm milk and it was tearing up her stomach. Eponin took care of her.

"Oh Drake hurry up, your daughters need their mother."

* * *

"What's wrong with you?" John, the apprentice asked. Xena rubbed her chest. 

"What do you care, you could never understand."

"Understand what?" He asked.

"The pain of knowing your children are crying for you and you can't go to them." Xena rubbed her chest. Her connection to her children was stronger than ever and she knew when they were upset and needed her love. Now she couldn't even give it to them all because Holt was an ambitious asshole. He was in for a very rude awakening when she learned more about the people around her.


	2. Puppy Love

Puppy love

"Great we're out of food," Holt grumbled.

"We're out of water too," John added.

"I'm going to hunt." They watched as men transformed and hunted in packs. It was the only time they came together without fighting. Xena watched from the hills with her five-year-old charge. She had been careful to avoid the King of Queensland and he hadn't come looking for her. She suspected that no one ever mentioned her to him because they wanted her a natural thing among men.

"How is your wound?" John asked coming up behind Xena. He wasn't surprised when she did not seem surprised by his presence.

"It is fine," Xena answered in a monotone voice.

"I am sorry we had to do this." The little bow began to growl at him as he crouched low. He had long dirty blond hair that sometimes fell into his blue eyes.

"Why are you here?" Xena asked.

"He threatened my life at first my Queen, but than I stayed on to see to it you were properly taken care of. I never once said I approved of this scheme." Xena looked into his eyes and saw that he spoke truth.

"You've ruined your career you know, how can anyone trust you now even if you never wanted this to happen and even though you played a long a little more to see to my well being." He held his head down in shame.

"I know, I should have died for you my Queen like a true Royal healer, but I became a coward and that a long has ruined me. I am not cut out to be such a respected man as my mother is, well woman in her case."

"Your poor mother she must be grieving."

"My biggest regret is that I have dashed all her dreams and hopes for me. She accomplished her own and now by shattering my dream I have shattered her new ones."

"She will grieve more still at my return."

"Why?" John asked very aware of the five-year-old and his sharp teeth. Xena rubbed the boy's back making him relax only slightly.

"When I kill Lord Holt the men, you see down there will attack, I imagine that I could protect you for a few days, but you will soon perish as well."

"I understand and I accept that, that may well be my fate." Xena nodded.

"Go find some water," Xena ordered. John nodded and left. The boy crawled into her lap.

"You like it there don't you?" He nodded with a smile as she rubbed his belly. Xena smiled. He raised up and she let him suckle at her breast to relieve the pressure. Her breasts were huge and it was doing nothing to protect her. They seemed more intrigued with her because she made it a point to cover her body. And it would keep her milk flowing for her daughters. Xena spotted a wolf heading for them and she made him stop to his dismay, but he waited having learned patience around Xena. He placed a leg from the Gazelle they had caught. Xena thought the Gazelle was an interesting animal as they were quick and graceful.

The boy crawled out of her arms as he placed the meat the on the ground and pushed it with his nose towards Xena and licked his mouth. He started growling almost immediately and snapping his teeth. The boy growled back and the wolf snapped closer making him whine and high tail it back to Xena's arms.

"Shh…it's okay." Xena hit his nose and he began to whine and back up a bit. "No you don't growl at him or hurt him." She took the meat he had offered. "Thank you." She and the boy went back to the campfire.

"Where did you get that meat?" Holt asked returning as she ate with the boy. She had to fight off several men before they key their distance or went out to hunt for their own meal. Xena didn't answer him as she ate. Holt growled in anger, and reached for the meat with the intention of taking it from her. But the boy growled and bit his leg.

"Ahhh you damn mutt!" He kicked his leg and Xena immediately caught the boy. Before she could yell at him Holt found himself on the ground with the wolf that had given it to him. He was issuing a challenge to Holt. Holt easily pushed him off his chest and the wolf yelped in pain as he hit the fire.

"You bastard you hurt him." He had a nasty burn and wood in his side. He limped back to his own fire. Xena carried the boy and went after him. Holt satisfied with the results reached for the meat, but the other children had taken the meat and were fighting over furiously.

"Ahh!" He ran after them with his sword, but a wolf was in front of him immediately. He was after all about to attack their young. He backed off and the wolf backed down as well. Xena watched the man change back to his human form and pull out the wood. She used her knowledge as a healer to attempt to save his life.

"Why do you do this, I lost it is my time to die."

"No, its not if I can help it." She gave him a smile to comfort him. He did not know how to smile back so grunted. "What is the boy's name?"

"Llyr, it means a mythical king."

"Why name him that?"

"Old man, name him as next King, says he will be all powerful. We all know that one of us not him will be the next King so we call him Llyr for he is a mythical King. He is weak too." Xena looked at the boy now wrestled with a girl as if he were really a puppy.

"All the same it is a beautiful name, and your name?"

"Cahal."

"Cahal who is Llyr's mother?" Cahal shrugged.

"I do not know what a mother is."

"What about father?"

"What is a father?" Xena sighed. She supposed it was understandable about not knowing who the father was, but what about the mother.

"Okay try this, from whose breast did he suckle as a baby?" Cahal nodded and thought.

"From all the women."

"So no one claims him?"

"Men claim only women as mate, sometimes if they're lucky for life, month, year, or day. No one claims children. Women take care of children make strong warriors, new women."

"Which of the women is in charge?" Xena asked.

"Oldest one."

"What's her name?"

"Women have no name."

"No name?"

"Not important enough for a name," He said with indifference. Xena fell silent.

"Get back over here!" Holt yelled at her. "Stop helping these mutts." Xena finished up.

"How you do get water?"

"Llyr knows, he will show you," Cahal told her as he looked at Llyr who lowered his head, but nodded. After a minute she bid him good afternoon and followed Llyr back to their hill. He dug with both his hands and Xena joined him after a moment and than water poured from the earth. When she did not begin drinking Llyr lowered his head to show her how. Xena went over to a small rock that was hallowed out and used it as a cup to drink. Llyr was intrigued and she showed him how to use it.

"I see you're trying to make that dog civilized." Holt pushed her forcefully out of the water and snatched the cup from Llyr and drank as Llyr growled, but did not attack. He was aware of his size more than anyone knew and he would strike when he could use it to his advantage. He did not have weight on his side.

"Keep pushing it and you'll find yourself bleeding on the ground while wolves tear at your rotting carcass," Xena warned before snatching the rock back. Llyr deliberately kicked dirt into the water and the earth swallowed it back up again leaving Holt with nothing. "Come on Llyr." Llyr followed with a trot of satisfaction. If he had a tail Xena imagined it would be high in the air and the thought made her chuckle.

"Is there somewhere we can get enough water to bath?" Llyr looked at her confused. "How do you get clean?" Llyr looked towards the women and saw that they took their wolf form and cleaned up the children and themselves.

"Okay that's highly not convenient." She felt something licking her leg and she started laughing. She looked down to see Llyr had transformed into a very cute and lovable pup. "No, no stop Llyr that's not your job. Why don't you go get yourself clean." Llyr would not leave her side. When she got back to the camp there were several wolves waiting for her it seemed as their ears perked up at the sight of her. Llyr began to growl expecting the worse.

"Oh no," Xena groaned.


	3. Chaos

Chaos

"Damn it, it's been two weeks!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "I am going after her."

"Don't you dare or I will have you thrown into the dungeon for treason," Fiona threatened. She shuddered to think that her son would be carried home on his shield if she went or worse yet torn apart by wolves and eaten.

"Cyrene, I think you had better handle your son-in-law's mother." Gabrielle glared at Fiona and Fiona did not back down. They were virtually the same height and Fiona could take her even if she didn't look like it.

"Cyrene, I swear if you can't handle this savage I will throw her out of Arcadia entirely. I'm sure she would love go back Greece!"

"No, don't send her away!" Sarah exclaimed frightened for her Aunt. Lila consoled her.

"Savage!" Gabrielle exclaimed outraged.

"She won't do that," Cyrene told her. "Not without Xena authorization."

"I wouldn't count on that stopping her, I think she hates Gabrielle more than she dislikes our Queen," Lady Blair told them.

"Oh my God, now I know why Xena never left them in the same room together, its impossible for them to get alone." Lady Emily sighed. She never wanted Xena's job as Queen it was way too stressful and not only that she was still a wife and it was her job to keep the peace between family and close friends. Now that job fell upon Emily and it was worse than being Queen.

"No, its not that they don't get along, it's the fights she can't stop, Fiona packs quite a punch when she wants too and Gabrielle she can be quite fierce when mad. Xena is smart, she stayed clear and kept them clear of each other. Their personalities were bound to clash and now they have."

"Cyrene!" They both exclaimed.

"Oh thank God they're calling for you to intervene in all this," Lady Emily sighed with relief. "I don't think I can break up this one. The others were minor, but this is huge, I wonder what the Queen would do?"

"She wouldn't do anything because they would have never been the same room if the act like this," Torres commented. "Can you imagine who else she's been keeping from conflict."

"No, there haven't been any besides these two perhaps they haven't clashed yet," Lady Emily replied.

"Cyrene!"

"Okay, okay what is it?" Cyrene asked. She listened to both of them, but both their words cause a whole different argument that Cyrene tried to stop until she saw Gabrielle swing and than she moved with speed they had not seen Cyrene use unless a child was in danger including her own grown children.

"That was close, they're your problem Emily."

"I'm not getting into that battle of the blondes. You could not pay me and as regent I say this fight will continue until they stop." So they watched Fiona and Gabrielle fight.

"Well that buys Drake and Lord Seymour at least another week before we have to go restraining her little blond friend from getting her killed and breaking the treaty."

"Huh well I guess there are bright sides to everything," Sarah said. Everyone smiled and laughed as they agreed until there was a loud crash that caused no break in the fighting that was now behind them as they raced out of the hall. They made it to the kitchens and found that the Steward and housekeeper or more like castle keeper were having it out in the kitchen. Annada and Annapati, her son was in hysterics finding the entire fight hilarious.

"What's going on?!" Lord Milton's voice projected into the room and stopped the fight. The steward who was skinny man and always held himself at high standards looked very embarrassed where as the housekeeper who merely dressed above her status was a robust woman and always wrestling the soldiers around in bets. She was a real woman's man type of girl. So the fact that the thin steward who had probably never been in a fight in his life was taking on the housekeeper who had been in plenty of fights they were sure, was just hilarious.

"My lord!" The steward exclaimed. "What can I get you?"

"A reason for your fighting," Lady Emily replied.

"Well I've forgotten the reason in the heat of battle, but I'll get back to you. Would you like some tea?"

"Hmph!" The housekeeper released him from his headlock. "Excuse us, the Queen usually lets him hide behind her skirts.

"I do not hide behind the Queen's skirts!" He exclaimed in anger.

"Yes, you do, you're a coward and never will fight your own battles." With those words the steward sounded off a war cry that sent the cook and her son into tears, and attacked with zeal. They thought they were going to die from laughing so much. The housekeeper through herself into the battle now being waged upon her again and attacked with just as much zeal.

"Oh my God!" Lady Emily exclaimed. There was the sound of thudding as a domino effect seemed to happen all over the castle even with the orphans she had some how been keeping the peace in the delicate system she had labeled keeping the peace within the castle walls. Everything was falling apart.

"I don't understand, how does she do it?" Lady Emily cried. "What does she do?"

"Mother, you must know, right?" Torres asked. Everyone looked at her with hopeful eyes. Cyrene sighed.

"I wish, I couldn't even stop you and Xena from fighting. When two people are not compatible they are not compatible. I mean as children you grow out of it eventually because people change or if not that you get more civilized towards each other because you've known each other for so long. But when you're disagreeable as an adult, well that's a hard one."

"Well let's at least go stop the children, maybe they can at least tell us what Xena does to keep them from fighting."

"That's easy enough," Lady Emily said. "She often takes them hawking and if they're good she actually goes out with them."

"There haven't been any hawking trips for a long time."

"Two weeks exactly," Lord Milton frowned. "But how can we go hawking if the rest of the castle in chaos."

"We'll figure it out as we go and the children will have to behave if they want to go out at all," Cyrene told them. "Now come on let's start with the easiest and end with the most pig headed fighters."

"Lady Fiona and Gabrielle," They all said together with a sigh.

"Naomi, why don't you take everyone to the library for their reading lessons," Torres suggested. Naomi nodded and walked off with Sarah to retrieve her other siblings.

* * *

A/n: Please review before continuing. 


	4. Eve and Melody

Eve and Melody

"Eve, Xenon!" Ephiny exclaimed. She had taken them riding and she had made the mistake of letting Eve transform into a pony. Before she even knew it Eve had galloped off and Xenon had followed.

"Man Xena is going to kill me, I can't believe I lost the heir to the throne!" Ephiny could just imagine the beating Xena would give her despite the fact they were friends, but when it came to their kids they were strictly too mothers and she would be just as angry if Xena lost Xenon and never found him. "Eve, Xenon!" Now that she thought about it, she had lost her own kid too and screamed a little louder. She was missing two kids now in one day not a good thing for the Regent.

"Mama!" She heard giggling and the sound of hooves. She entered a clearing by a spring and saw Eve trying hard to half transform and become a centaur, but her powers weren't developed enough to make the transformation.

"Okay that's enough play," Ephiny told them as she dismounted and went over to Eve who looked very tired. "Come on, you're all tired out. Come on Xenon."

"Mommy?" Xenon asked as they walked back. Ephiny rocked Eve in her arms as she yawned, but didn't go to sleep. She missed Xena and only went to sleep when she was so tired there was no way she could get her eyes clothes. No amount of singing or rocking could put her to sleep, every Amazon had tried and failed miserably. Melody was easier to put to sleep because she had learned to adjust. Eve could adjust too but she was way more aware of Xena's absence than Melody.

"Yes?" Ephiny asked pulling reins of her horse and leading him over a tree root carefully.

"Is Eve my new sister?" Xenon asked. From his tone of voice he had obviously been wondering about it for a long time and feeling a bit of neglect he figured would come if he ever had a sister.

"No, she's not your sister, she's your cousin, she's the daughter of your Aunt Xena."

"Oh," Xenon said just as sadly as if Ephiny had a new baby. "What about Melody?"

"She's Eve's sister and your cousin."

"Oh," He sounded even more dejected.

"Xenon, your Aunt Xena still loves you even though she has children."

"She hasn't visited me."

"Aunt Xena is busy being a Queen and right now something is keeping her away even from her own children. But I promise we'll go see her or she'll come to us when everything is all said and done."

"Promise?" Xenon asked.

"I promise."

"Mommy," Eve said before she began to cry. They reached the Amazon village and young girl came and took the horse away.

"Again?" Solari asked. She was waiting in Ephiny's hut.

"Yep." Ephiny handed her over, it was Solari's turn to watch her now.

"Man, right when its my turn," She mumbled so low nobody heard her as she began to rock and rub Eve's back. Eve cried until she had fallen asleep and than she cried in her sleep even. Later she woke up and seemed to have forgotten for the moment.

"Good afternoon sleepy head. Why don't you get dressed and go play?" Eve nodded. Solari helped her dress in her amazon outfit and soon she was running out the door.

"Hey look it's the princess!" Eve had just bent down to play with some hens. She was very fond of animals just like her mother was. They all ran over.

"Look the great Princess Eve likes to play with chickens how pathetic." They laughed. The girl who had spoken was the girl next in line after Eve if she had no children. Everyone treated her like she was special, and she was. She was going to rule the amazon nation one-day. But no Eve had come along and the special attention had stopped. Now everything was about Eve and keeping her happy. Even her own mother gave Eve more attention now.

"Go away," Eve told her. She had been picked on the girl since day one and she tired of her.

"Make me!" She pushed Eve and the others laughed.

"Go away, Mama say no fight." Eve stood back up and went back to playing with the chickens. The girl pushed her again.

"Awe does the little baby always do what mommy tells her." She kicked her and this time nobody was laughing. Eve was only two after all and they were bigger than her. She didn't have a chance against them.

"Stop!" Eve cried.

"Varia come on let's just leave her alone, she's only two."

"I know." Eve stood up while she was distracted and moved. "Hey come back here you snot nosed freak!" Eve ran and Varia ran after her. The others didn't follow, but went to go tell. Varia caught up to Eve at the forest edge. She pushed her hard and she slammed into the tree-breaking forearm. She screamed and hollered in pain. Something in her reminded her that her mother would not stand for this. Her eyes were on fire when she looked at Varia standing over her with a smirk. Her vision was kind of blurry, but her aim was not off when she grabbed Varia's arm with her good hand as Varia suddenly found herself on fire. She screamed just as Eve had when she broke her arm. Solari came running followed by Ephiny. They put the fire out with dirt and inspected Eve's arm.

"Varia how did she break her arm?" Ephiny asked the girl had burns on five percent on her body. She was very lucky that the scars would go away except the one on her forearm where Eve had definitely grabbed her.

"The girls said Varia was picking on her. Eve was refusing to fight her, but she kept pushing until Eve ran. She probably slammed her into the damn tree trunks."

"Varia you are in a world of trouble when those burns heal. Attacking a two-year-old and the princess at that. I am ashamed to call you an amazon, perhaps it is better you will not rule this nation one day." Ephiny carefully lifted the girl making sure she was uncomfortable in her arms. Eve screamed and made it hard for Solari, but she finally lifted her up without doing damage to her arm. It was a clean break that she could see and that was a good thing.

"How is she?" Eponin asked Solari as she came in with Melody.

"Better for now, an herb knocked her out, but she'll wake up in the next three hours and will be hungry. Here's the herb to put in her food so she'll go back to sleep again. For the majority of the healing we're going to have to keep her a bit drugged so she doesn't make it worse. I do hope Xena gets out of Queens land soon. Eve really needs her mother right now. Eponin nodded her agreement before Solari left. Eponin made dinner and fed Eve first about three hours later. Next she took on the task of feeding the very picky Melody cold tea and mashed peas that she had to make sure were cold or Melody would not take a bite or drink of.

"Don't worry, Mama's milk will be back soon enough. Four weeks without it is no harm done." At her words Melody spit out the peas into her face and began to cry.

"Oh man, you just had to say it didn't you," Ephiny said walking in and picking up Melody. She rocked her.

"Don't worry I will be keeping my mouth shut from now on. The little brat spit peas in my face."

"Serves you right." Ephiny told her seeing that Eponin wasn't really mad about having mashed peas covered in sob all over her face. It came with the territory after all.

"Man I don't know how mother's do it, I don't know if I could handle mashed peas in my face all the time."

"Yes, you can, she spit on you every night she's been here without Cyrene, you've handled it."

"Yeah, but she's Xena's daughter and my niece, I don't know if I could take it from my own." Ephiny laughed as she gave Melody back so Eponin could finish feeding her.

"Well I'll let you in a on a little secret. Babies don't spit up as much as Melody does on their mother. They love the mother way too much." Eponin groaned.

"Than I'm just forever doomed to be spit on by the little princess aren't I?"

"Yes, and peed on too it seems." Eponin felt something-warm running down her arm and onto her top.

"Oh no not again, why does this always happen to me," She cried.

* * *

A/n: Please review before continuing. 


	5. Captured

Captured

"I think we've finally arrived at the city."

"Are you sure, because the last time you said that it was outcropping of rocks."

"My King I assure you I am positive this time. Come now you must walk in like a man." He put Drake down and Drake straightened his clothing before marched towards the group of men who were sharing a gazelle carcass and finishing up everything.

"Excuse us, but can you tell us…" Drake started, but than realized there was no city just a group of men. "Where the city is?" They men stopped eating and swallowed. The bones were clean and the hide had already been stripped for new fur. Their faces were covered in blood as they looked at these two new men who did not belong in Queensland. They were attacked and taken prisoner.

"Well isn't this just delightful," Drake mumbled.

"I'm sorry I thought that since we'd seen men there would be the city."

"Did you ever think that these men are nomads?"

"Nomads sir?"

"Yes, people who move around a lot and never settle in one place like wolves. Look not a woman or child in sight. They eat everything and waste nothing. They're nomads." One of the men through a leg of the gazelle and they shared the raw meat even though they would have rather cooked it.

"Do you guys know how to get to your King?" They all looked up at the mention of their King.

"What do you want with our King?" One man asked.

"Nothing, I'm just looking for someone who would hide himself around your King. He was a coward and did not fight for the woman we both wanted. I want my chance at honor or defeat just like any other man." They nodded.

"Coward, women are trophies to be fault over and won. He will not last long if the King sees him."

"Why?"

"Woman good enough to cross into our land for, the King will want her for himself."

"And if the King doesn't see him?" Drake asked.

"Than he safe, men around King not as tough as we are." They laughed. "They are soft and weak. For bravery you will run with us. We will make you so strong that any friends he make will cower in fright, your woman will loathe you."

"Loathe?" Drake asked.

"Yeah, she want you than. Than she go back to her pack or maybe she stay if it's a good fight. Or do you only want her for one night than you won't hesitate to throw her from your fire."

"I want her to stay," Drake told them. "Back home the woman must stay." They nodded.

"I feel sorry for you than," The men replied and they all laughed.

"I can't believe we've been stripped naked," Lord Seymour said.

"Oh go with it, its called survival." Drake packed his clothing away along with the extras he had brought for Xena. No telling what state Holt had her in using drugs. He slung the bag on his back along with his sword and tied a strip of leather around his waist to hold his dagger. Lord Seymour followed his example and soon they were part of the pack. They taught them to hunt like a wolf using their daggers as claws and to skin it for fur. Soon they had clothing.

"You are progressing very fast, you will have the woman eating out of the palm of your hand literally."

"You will make so many pups and no one will stand in your way." Drake wanted to start bragging about his daughters, who he missed terribly, but he did not as he was congratulated on his latest kill. Soon he would be allowed to hunt with the rest of them and share the meal just like Lord Seymour.

* * *

"Ah!" Xena screamed and fell as a hand went to her heart. Llyr was by her side in a flash as was Cahal who had not gone far since the incident. He counted on Xena's kindness to share to eat food though he could survive weeks without it.

"What's wrong?"

"My baby she's hurt."

"Who?"

"Eve, she's hurt and I'm not there." Tears were in her eyes now as she felt Eve's pain.

"King!"

"Come on we have to get you out of sight. Cahal helped her get out of sight of the King as Holt and the apprentice hid as well. The people of the city may tolerate them, but the King would not.

"Llyr!" The voice boomed. Llyr reluctantly trotted towards him. The King who was named Kentigem meaning Chief. He took Llyr and carried him back to the castle in a not so pleasant position.

"What is he doing with Llyr?"

"Inspecting him. Llyr won't be the first or last boy. I was once inspected by the King."

"Is Naois all right?" Another man came up to them. He seemed ready to kill at any moment and he was, which was why Holt stayed clear of them. Ever since Xena had turned the men into admirers of her he had, had to watch his step now more than ever.

"Naois?" Xena asked.

"It is what we call you. It means mythical warrior," Cahal explained. "Women are not warriors, but you are so there for you must be a myth."

"So now I am called Naois." Cahal nodded. "Hmm I kind of like it." Xena felt a tugging at her heart. Drake was calling her, and he was close by. He was coming. She wanted to kill Holt than and run to him but she could only imagine the fights she would cause. The King would come out to see why everyone was fighting so fiercely against each other when there was no enemy. No Holt could live until Drake arrived. Drake was a powerful man and he would defeat Holt in a battle that would of course make the rest of them cower. They were not stupid.

"Can you help me get enough water to bath?" Xena asked. Cahal nodded and spoke with the man. He nodded and went to find others. Xena waited patiently hidden for Llyr to return as she rubbed her chest.

"Hang on baby, mommy is coming home soon." Finally Llyr returned looking a little shaken and the King was with him. Xena luckily had stayed hidden and Holt was off trying his luck with hunting. But since she was still hidden no one called a warning and John found himself on the run. The King transformed and attacked. The others could do nothing but join their King. Xena watched in horror as they tore his body apart. Everyone feasted upon his body including the women and children.

"Oh my God Cahal, Llyr please clean your mouths." They backed away in their wolf forms and cleaned themselves. Once the King had gone content to rest of the day now that he had, had a large meal it was safe for her to come out. Cahal motioned with his head for her to follow him. They took her to where they had dug a large hole where water now came pouring to the top. It was now there for her to bath in. She happily went behind the huge rocks that jutted from the ground and undressed before stepping into the pool. She washed as well as she could without soap and the wolves did not get an eye full. Llyr however did replace her dress, which was torn now with warm furs.

"Thank you." Llyr hurried off. Xena got out and dressed. She was very warm now.

"All the gazelles have gone and traveled south," Cahal told her.

"What does that mean?" Xena asked as they sat by the fire that night eating leftovers and surrounded by tones of children. There were other men around too. They had learned to share as a pack should rather than take a peace and beat everyone away. Don't get them wrong, there were still others they beat away, not everybody was in the pack after all.

"Cape Buffalo herd might be coming this way, but at this time a year they also cross paths with the great elk migration from their breeding grounds. The winter approaches they will keep us alive. The land will be plentiful with them."

"I suppose that means a lot of hiding, The king will be out a lot."

"No, during the winter the King forces us from around his castle to hunt as he pleases with his guards. We are forced to the outskirts where we must avoid lions and other packs," Bedwyr informed her. "That's when we loose a lot of young ones."

"Other packs?" Xena asked.

"Naois is very misinformed." They laughed. Xena did as well use to jokes being made at her expense by now.

"You will have to learn to eat raw meat." At the thought Xena almost puked but nodded. Whatever she had to do to serve and return back to her family. She was half surprised her father had burned the entire nation looking for her, but than again he probably didn't know.

"My mate, he is coming to look for me. He won't find us."

"If he arrives in the next few days he will. Unless the meat comes early we will not be leaving for at least until the Gazelle runs out, than we will leave. We will travel to the place where the buffalo and the elk meet help our King set up than we will leave for the outskirts. We usually form packs than and share like now. But Cahal and you will find our place. It is protected by rocks and has a great supply of water. We do not loose young ones in our pack."

"We will have to kill twice to feed a pack this large. It is mostly children, one woman, and twelve men. Unusually large."

"Well the children will learn to hunt, that is the point of winter."

They nodded.

"We will not only teach the children, but it is time Naois learned the hunt as well." Everyone agreed and nodded than laughed at the thought of a woman hunting.

"Cahal, why is it that none of the women go near Llyr except to bath him?" Xena asked. Everyone was asleep, but she was awake again because of the pain in her heart. It would remain there until she was back with Eve, that she knew.

"You have claimed him."

"I haven't claimed…" Xena started.

"In our land you have claimed him and he has accepted you. You alone nurse him and that means you have claimed him." Xena sighed.

"He will follow me when I leave, won't he?" Xena asked. Cahal nodded.

"Perhaps, we shall see if the pup ready to go off on his own after winter." Cahal rolled over and went to sleep. Xena lay there some more a little closer to the fire than everyone with Llyr curled up next to her, he was her substitute child.

"He'll follow," Xena whispered not knowing if it was a bad thing yet or a good thing. Llyr was after all suppose to be their next King. "Like Cahal said we shall see." With that she closed her eyes and managed to drift off to sleep comforted by the fact she was protected on all sides.


	6. Kentigem

Kentigem

"Drake, get here soon," Xena whispered as she felt the tugging at her heart again, he was getting closer. Winter was approaching and last night the men had come back empty handed. Only last night had she been informed they would have to leave. Holt was a little aggravated by this, because he didn't know how he was going to hide himself from the king. Llyr walked with her to the pool for bathing they had created for her, it was now surrounded by thin trees with plenty of leaves on them and even the ground was turning green. Winter was odd here, but at least now she knew what they would be feeding on. Once she had sat down on the edge of the rock by the pool Llyr rubbed against her before he retreated out of the bathing area. She watched him go before she undressed. Her dress was now no more than a rag for bathing as she washed.

Xena began to sing because it calmed her down and sort of lessened the pain as if her family was nearby and once she was done bathing they would be right on the other side of the trees waiting for her. Even better she would make up new song for Eve and Melody..

"As the moon kindle's the night," She sang. She heard someone moving, but decided it was only Cahal or Bedwyr watching over her and making sure no one was going to hurt her. Or perhaps even one of the others. "As the wind kindles the fire." Xena stopped singing for a moment and stood up to look around. Her hair had grown so long that it covered most of the upper half of her body. Nothing moved and everything was still. She sat back down and began to wash again. "As the rain fills every ocean. And the sun, the earth. With your heart, kindle my heart."

"Take my heart, take my heart. Kindle it with your heart. And my heart Cannot be Kindled without you With your heart Kindle my heart."

"That was a beautiful song." Xena only paused for a second in her washing. So it had not been Cahal or Kentigem after all. "I thought I had killed all the intruders in my land, but it seems I was wrong, your mate was not very delicious I have left him to the men. They seemed all too eager to tare him to shreds. I knew a woman must have been involved, but no woman eats her mate when he is disposed of. No I knew there was another and then I saw Llyr guarding the trees." He chuckled now.

"Are you here to make an attempt to tare me to shreds?" Xena asked.

"I would not have to try my dear." He took a step forward as Xena gracefully picked up her fur top. It was like a bra held together by leather thread. It was followed by her skirt.

"You think that, but I know that's not true." Xena turned around slowly and with beautiful blue eyes that mirrored the ocean at the moment, she stared into his cold blue eyes. They were emotionless, but his body language told her all she needed to know. A smirk formed on her lips. He was attracted to her, but that was not a good thing.

"You are very confident for a woman. You don't know your place." Kentigem leaned against the taller rock that had served to hide her from view before the trees. He was very tall, taller than Drake even. He had bulging muscles and dark black hair. He only wore a fur loin cloth that almost didn't do its job because it was made too small, she thought it was probably a little uncomfortable for him. Xena's body reacted to his physical appearance almost immediately. She sucked in a breath as her eyes left his chiseled face and made their way down his body.

"I know my place," Xena answered as she stepped out of the pool and rung out her dress.

"Now that I have killed your mate, you are mine to have."

"You have not killed my mate."

"You were his mate."

"I was not."

"The men were careful not to think of you when I am around, but now that Llyr has told them I am here, they think of you freely. It seems that they have all taking a liking to you and you have claimed Llyr the one who is supposed to be the next King. They thought of the man as your mate but you acted like a man, they call you Naois, which is why upon hearing the name before I did not immediately become suspicious. Women are not named."

"I know, but he was not. He stole me from my mate."

"And I have stolen you from him. You are mine now."

"I am no one's except my own."

"You belong to me I won you!" He snapped at her angrily. She didn't even flinch.

"Like I said I belong to myself not you or anyone else." He tried to grab her, but she was too quick for him. He was surprised at her speed. There was no one with speed like him. He lunged for her again and she moved. This time she left the bathing area. Everyone was waiting with blood on their face and looks of surprised as she walked towards them barefoot and clean.

"What did you do to the King?" Bedwyr asked.

"Nothing, I guess I'm just too quick for him." She moved to the side and he landed on his face in the dirt. "Yes way too quick. I think it's time that I went searching for my mate. Anyone still care enough to help me so that I can find my way around?" Llyr of course stepped forward in his human form. He hugged her leg and she rubbed his head.

"Take her to my castle!" Kentigem thundered as clouds appeared over head thick and heavy with rain. Fog was approaching from a distance and Xena hoped that Drake was okay. There was not much in the way of shelter in this land.

"My King winter approaches."

"Take us to the winter grounds and bring the woman!" He left angrily. Others followed him.

"Naois, the King has taken you, you must go."

"I don't have to go anywhere he is not my ruler, he's my equal." They looked shocked.

"I am an anointed Queen." Bedwyr's eyes bulged out of his head and covered her mouth.

"Please don't say that word, Kentigem will order you killed and we will have no choice but to listen as we have no choice now."

"And in any case you can't go not with these clouds. You will have to wait pass the winter rains before you can make a run for it," Cahal informed her.

"And Drake, he's still out there."

"If he is smart he will have convinced a roaming pack to adopt him and he will survive." Xena nodded as the rain started to fall. She walked with the pack who had all transformed, but Bedwyr was so large she was able to sit on his back. Llyr kept up beside him the whole time, he had no intention of losing Xena or her milk when he thought about it. He should have been weaned by now, but he refused to be.

"Wow it's like a forest wonderland," Xena breathed. The trees were filled with fruit that probably went to waste every winter, but not now. They set up the hall that was Kentigem's and replanted. She waited with Cahal and Bedwyr along with Llyr outside as the rain fell. It hurt to the touch and luckily the trees kept them safe. She picked fruit off the tree and brought it to her mouth, but Cahal smacked it away quickly.

"No!" Cahal and Bedwyr exclaimed as Llyr looked at her with worry.

"What?" Xena asked confused.

"The fruits they are poisonous," Bedwyr told her.

"Did you bite it?" Cahal asked as Xena watched the fruit turn black.

"No, thank you for saving my life." They nodded happy that she had not eaten any of the fruit. After that they took her into the hall. There was a huge bed at the far end. There were about four women sitting around Kentigem as he drank deeply from a golden bowl.

"A gift from the King of Arcadia, a peace offering." Xena remember the bowl, she had sent it off herself to promote peace in Drake's first year as King. "Leave us and go get me food." Cahal and Bedwyr bowed. Llyr did not even think of leaving her side for a moment. "Another gift is this musical instrument that no one can play. I heard music only once and I have loved it since before I killed the messenger." He laughed and the women as well as other men around him. She noticed that the instrument was a Veena. She had seen them in India. He threw it to her and she caught it easily enough.

"Why are you giving this to me?" Xena asked.

"You will play."

"And?"

"And I will not kill you for your behavior today." Xena sighed.

"Oh I know that, I meant the other thing."

"What other thing?" He asked.

"Two things actually."

"And what is that?" He asked angry that she would not just follow orders there had to be something else. But he was also curious what this rebellious woman before him had to say.

"Number one, don't throw anything at me and you will ask me if I will play and sing for you, I am not to be ordered to do anything, the others will tell you they learned that the hard way." Some men who were smitten with her even though she belonged to her King and were likely to be forever nodded their agreement. She could not be forced to do anything. So had tried their luck in just taking her and seeing if Holt dare attack them if he did they would release her, but it would not have mattered to them, because they would have had her. Kentigem was silent as he frowned and scrunched his face up. "Well I'm waiting?"

"Number two?"

"You'll learn what number two is when you do number one." He stood up and tried to attack her, but of course she moved and Llyr was in her arms and out of harm's way.

"Make that three now." Xena deliberately walked pass him and sat where he had before as they watched him regain consciousness from where he had face planted on the floor. The women could hardly believe it, but kept their mouths shut as usual. Now was not the time.


	7. Drake and Kentigem meet

Drake and Kentigem meet

"This is the city?" Lord Seymour asked. They nodded.

"This is where the city resides in the summer, but they must have left several days early. The city moves in the winter. "

"Where would they go?" Drake asked frustrated as they walked around. The leader shrugged.

"In the summer the city wolves act as individuals except on the hunt at times but in winter they form packs and teach the young. It is impossible to find one wolf in so many packs spread out."

"I am not waiting through the winter," Drake said angrily. "There must be some common spot in the winter?" The leader shrugged.

"I suppose that is possible," He mused. "Come we will start where the King resides and work our way in a circle." They nodded and soon were gone.

* * *

"Whore!" Fiona screamed at Gabrielle.

"I am not a whore you spiteful old bitch!" Gabrielle yelled back. Emily was trying in vain to stop them. The poor girl was so tired and opted to take a much needed vacation soon, but she knew that would only come while her Queen on her honeymoon. That was still five months away. Spring and ushered in a new beginning for Arcadia. The crops were good and they had even managed some winter crops on some farms and near Dragon City.

"Do you think he's found her?" Ephiny asked Emily as she joined her in the chair next to hers. Emily sighed. Ephiny had come in hopes that Xena would arrive safely with Drake in a few days, but she hadn't. Poor Eve was still crying over her arm and she desperately needed her mother's love more than anything even Drake would do at this point. And Melody was just so lonely and missed Xena terribly.

"I hope so I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"Hmm…I can't blame you, but I suppose I should give you some Queenly advice before now." Emily perked up.

"I'm listening." Ephiny nodded.

"Xena as a Queen keeps the peace, right?"

"Right."

"Well how does she do it?"

"This is queenly advice?" Emily asked skeptically. Ephiny sighed.

"Just answer the question."

"She intervenes before it starts to be honest and well as you can see it's too late to do that." She motioned to Fiona and Gabrielle arguing. She was sure it wasn't long now before Fiona had her in the dungeons.

"And when she's too late?"

"I have no idea I've never seen a full blown argument when she wasn't the one winning the argument."

"Huh well, I don't know what to say then, I mean trying to stop Gabrielle from arguing is like trying to tell a tornado not to blow structures to pieces."

"Telling Fiona not to argue is like telling the King and Queen telling each other they're no longer in love." Ephiny made a face.

"Oh that's bad." Emily nodded.

"Well I usually hold matches between the two feuding parties." Emily was silent for a moment and than her eyes went bright.

"You know what that's not a bad idea. Oh thank you Ephiny I love you!" Emily ran off leaving a bewildered Ephiny. She turned her attention back to the argument that was quickly becoming an all out fight, but a guard stationed himself between them and kept them from physically hurting the other. The poor man suffered greatly for it too as Ephiny watched.

* * *

"Are you done?" Kentigem asked. Xena rolled her eyes as she shook out the pants made out of silk that left little to the imagination. It had a top to go with it.

"Yeah yeah." He wanted her to look like the women he had seen in the orient during his stay. "I swear you'd think I was the courtesan of a Prince in India." Xena had to admit though she was slightly surprised by his supply of jewelry and gold. These things had no use or place in Queensland society in her mind and she didn't know why he kept it and it seemed he had a taste for the finer things in life at times.

"Finally you perform in an hour." Xena sighed as he left the hall. She dressed in her new clothes after a real bath, which was about the only thing she had enjoyed during her stay with Kentigem. He had also allowed her out with Cahal and Bedwyr. It was not as if they were going to try anything he had reasoned. So she had learned to hunt and that was thrill for her all on its own.

"You look different," Cahal commented as he helped her mix the face paints at her request. Llyr sat nearby sticking his hands in the ones they had finished. Xena laughed as she looked at him with it smeared all over his face. He looked like a clown. Llyr smiled back and went to go show the others.

"Why do you say that?" Xena asked.

"The makeup does not seem like you Naois." Xena smiled a little.

"Yes, I suppose here it doesn't, I haven't really had the materials until now to make a sort of makeup. I personally don't wear as much makeup as we're making here, but I like to have options and a good supply." Cahal nodded. Black was the easiest to come by and they made that last. Xena however did not put it on. Makeup would be used to enhance her beauty when she needed too and not before. She wondered if her musicians felt like slaves every time they were called to play for her, but than again they got to watch her dance and that in itself was a delight for them.

* * *

"We're coming upon a pack." Drake nodded as did Lord Seymour and soon they were met by another pack who growled at them ready for a fight. The leader of the pack stayed in his human form not threatened by the other alpha male at all.

"We haven't come here for your spot or hunting grounds," He spoke. "We're looking for someone." The leader transformed after a moment.

"Who?" He asked.

"A new female, she joined the city during the winter, one of our own wishes to fight for the right to breed with her." The man frowned at his words.

"You cannot have Naois."

"Naois, she has black hair and blue eyes like the sky?" The man looked at him with slited eyes before nodding.

"You will not take Naois, she belongs to the King now and even if she did not, you cannot have her, I will fight you for her, but it does not matter the King will kill you now."

"Well I fight your King to the death if I have too," Drake told him. "Just point the way."

"You're funeral; she's just a woman not worth dying for unless she is in your possession. He has to lose interest sometime and I will be there." Drake nearly attacked him anger.

"She's is not just any woman and she will always be worth dying for!" Drake yelled as they held him back with some difficulty. The man and his pack backed away before retreating.

"Easy my King, you're Queen is awaiting you and now we must get her before the King does." Drake focused his anger on Kentigem and they set off immediately.

* * *

"How is she?" Ephiny asked arriving back at the Amazon village.

"No better, her arm isn't even healing," Solari reported as Eve cried. "She really needs her mother, if only Drake knew he would hurry."

"How's Melody?" Ephiny asked.

"She's sleeping right now, but she'll be up again in a few minutes, she's stopped eating this morning, she wants Xena."

"That's not good, Xena will kill us if she dies and I couldn't even be mad at her. We're already going to catch hell for Eve." Solari rubbed her backside as she thought of the pain she was going to have to endure.

"Come on let's go see if we can placate the little princess some today." They nodded and headed into Eve's room.

* * *

"Drake," Xena whispered. She could feel that he was very close and that put a smile on her face. For once she performed a happy song to Kentigem's surprise.

"I was beginning to think you didn't know anything happier." Xena grunted in response as she sat on her pillow and played. She did not grace him with her lovely singing voice. He wasn't good enough for that. It was that night after her bath that she knew Drake had arrived. She peaked out of the small room where Kentigem often put his women so he didn't have to be disturbed just by looking at them if he wasn't permitting them to leave the Hall. Drake looked her way almost immediately, but quickly turned back to Kentigem. Lord Seymour was introducing him as King of Arcadia and he wanted to make the acquaintance of the great King Kentigem.

"Who comes?" A woman asked.

"My mate so fear not your spots won't be taken." They didn't say anything. They had a nice life and it was better than that of the women outside the hall. They had viewed Xena as a threat, but she had made her intentions very clear to them and they had opted to help her rather than remain silent.

"Good, it's about time."

"Yes, now when you go out, tell Kentigem that tonight I dance." They nodded. They soon left her to prepare on her own. Xena put on her newly made black underwear and pants that were sheer and see through. Her top was a black bra of the same thick material as her underwear. She lined her eyes in black eye liner and around her eyes were gold and white dots so it looked like jewelry. She even found jewelry head piece that lay on the front of her forehead and under her hair which lay perfectly flat. Next she painted finger and toe nails black and created henna tattoos on her hands and feet in black. The most difficult was the diamond around her stomach. She put on several bangles are her angles so they would make noise as she danced. She used the left over material to cover her hair and face. She left only her eyes visible before she walked out of the room.

"Ah here she is my lovely new woman, tonight she dances." Drake smiled knowing it was for him from the way she looked at him and not for Kentigem.

"You honor me so," Drake told him, but he was really speaking to Xena. Xena grinned behind her veil.

"What will you be performing?" Drake asked her.

"Oh I think you know it," Xena told him. "Its called the Dance of enticement." Drake sucked in a breath.

"Are you sure?" She nodded.

"What is this dance of enticement?" Kentigem asked.

"Let's just say you'll love it," Drake told him as he took a seat along with Lord Seymour. Wine was brought to them, but they did not drink in, but they did eat to be polite.

"Than begin!" Kentigem ordered.

"What?" Xena asked looking at him.

"Will you begin?" He asked angrily. He would not be embarrassed in front of the first monarch to ever visit him.

"That's what I thought you said." Xena took her place in the shadows before she began her dance.


	8. Llyr, King of Queensland

Llyr, King of Queensland

"What's her name?" Drake asked as he watched Xena talking with another man. To pass the time she had been teaching Cahal to play when she wasn't doing other things.

"Women don't have names, but the men call her Naois, I don't know why, since she is my mate they are careful not to think about her."

"You're mate?" Drake asked. Xena rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Have you tried her out?"

"I have saving her for the longest night of winter."

"Ah I see well it is custom in my country that visiting monarchs are given a concubine or wife even that they have not used." Kentigem was silent. "Its very civilized and really part of high society. Honestly the Emperor in the Orient has a very fine selection. Hmmm Kentigem I have never met a woman who has equaled his selection." Drake had figured Kentigem out pretty quickly and waited for him to rise to the bait. Lord Seymour caught on easily enough.

"Remember the last one?" Lord Seymour asked. Drake grinned and whistled.

"Do I remember, Lord Seymour you tickle me." They laughed.

"Tell me about these women?" Kentigem asked. They told him.

"But of course there's nothing equal to that here."

"Please, please take her, woman dance!" Kentigem ordered her. "After her dance you can take one of my more private rooms in the event of a visiting monarch.

"There's more to this hall?" Lord Seymour whispered. Drake shrugged.

"Apparently." Xena was looking at Drake and from her eyes he was aware that s he was laughing.

"Woman dance!" Kentigem ordered. Cahal began to play, but Xena didn't dance. Llyr had come into the hall now and sat Xena's pillow.

"You're son?" Drake asked knowing Xena wouldn't dance if he was ordering her.

"No, what's a son?" Kentigem asked.

"Offspring, you know puppies from one of your women."

"No, the next King will be the one that defeats me." Drake nodded.

"Than who is he?" Drake asked.

"It was said that he would be the next King, but he is weak. He is Llyr, mythical King." Drake nodded.

"Naois will you please grace us with the dance?" Xena nodded. Cahal started over and she began to dance, but she'd hardly uncovered her face when there was howling. Almost immediately both Kentigem and Cahal had changed and were gone along with everyone else.

"Well while they're distracted I'll go get changed and we can go."

"Yeah, here I brought you some clothes." He tossed her the bag and she took it. She was gone and back before five minutes had passed. She headed for the door with Drake and Lord Seymour who had their swords ready just in case.

"How's your side wound?" Drake asked.

"It healed, John took care of me quite well."

"Where is Holt and John?" Drake asked. "I've been meaning to skin them alive."

"No need they were both torn to shreds by Kentigem at different times, shame really I was looking forward to watching you kick his ass, I thought it would make our wedding night more enjoyable."

"Ooh I like the way you think."

"I know."

"So you've built quite the reputation some guy almost ripped off our heads when we asked for you."

"Yeah the men are really protective of me. They're dogs in the end, and well it wasn't hard to show them who was boss except Kentigem he was stubborn, but he was learning." Drake nodded.

"Another week and you probably would have had them carrying you home." Xena laughed.

"No, they love me, but they'd rather die that willingly give me up I think." Llyr caught up to them easily when he realized she was leaving. Llyr whimpered as he began to fall behind in his human form. Xena stopped and turned to him. He reached for her and she picked him up.

"Still attached?" Xena asked. He nodded. "Okay come on."

"Xena," Drake groaned.

"I can't just leave him."

"He belongs here in his own world."

"But Drake, look at him." Xena pointed to him and Llyr gave him his best sad face.

"My King we don't have much time."

" Fine," Drake groaned. Xena smiled and they hurried on.

"How's Eve and Melody?" Xena asked.

"I don't know, I've been out of contact with just everyone. Mother is bound to send someone here, she must be worried we've been go…." He paused, they all did as they stared at the battlefield before them. Soldiers were coming through portals and dropping to the ground and fighting wolves. Bodies were everywhere already and at the head of the pack was Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle," Xena groaned.

"Oh no who let her be in charge," Drake groaned. "She's ruining foreign relations."

"And so much more, we're losing lives we have to stop this."

"You!" Kentigem accused. He was in his human form and very naked.

"Oh my," Xena breathed. His physique was sending off red flags in her mind and her body was yearning for something so male and dominate.

"Lord Seymour protect Xena, its time Kentigem and I had a word." Lord Seymour nodded as he moved Xena to the side surprised at how little resistance she put up as she moved her head to see around his huge frame. She was not going to miss this for anything in the world except Eve, Melody, or Llyr even, but he was safely in her arms and the girls were still with the amazons.

"Damn," Xena whispered.

"You will not still my woman away or one of my subjects."

"She is not your woman she is my queen and I have come for her."

"She is not, Queens don't exist."

"They do in my country and she is not yours to own. And because I respect your ways I will fight you for my wife back to the death if necessary."

"That is the only way." Drake struck his sword in the ground and took off his shirts. Xena's eyes went wide as she saw his muscles had become more defined. She whistled and could see a grin tugging at his lips.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Drake told her.

"Oh I know," Xena whispered licking her lips.

"Cold bath my Queen."

"No, it won't be long until the wedding now." Llyr nestled himself more comfortably in her arms to watch. Drake attacked Kentigem without warning. Xena was impressed his speed and agility had definitely improved.

"The side effects of running with a wild pack of wolves," Lord Seymour told her. "Of course it stands to reason that I would not get to fight because of your friend."

"Oh I'm sorry Lord Seymour look you see that man over there," She pointed to the wolf.

"Yes, I see that wolf."

"Whatever that's the one that tried to rape me when Holt wasn't around." Lord Seymour looked at him. "You're reason for a fight my lord, I'm sure you could modify the story so that he tried it on your watch." Lord Seymour grinned. "At least that's the version I'm telling."

"You're a great Queen." He strode off to fight. Xena sighed and leaned against a tree. Now she was bored.

"Well well well if it isn't the foreign woman they've come after." Xena who had turned her attentions back to the brutal fight between Drake and Kentigem looked his way. He was the man who had hit her, when she lit a fire for the women.

"You."

"Me."

"Guess what, its time you received payment for the blow to my head," Xena informed him. She place Llyr on a seat in the tree. "Stay." He nodded. She turned back to the man. "I am going to enjoy this." He attacked, but so did she and they collided bitterly as they fought. His nails scratched her side wound back open, but not deeply and she busted his nose and lip, but most of the blood was from his nose. What she lacked in brute strength she made up for in speed and agility. She thought things through and knew his move before me made it, but he had a nasty habit of switching in the middle of a move. It could make things difficult, but as the warrior princess it only made things fun and motivating.

Xena laughed as he began to breathed hard and break a sweat. She had been on defensive until now, letting him tire himself out.

"You dare laugh at me you woman," He spat. He said woman as if it were a bad thing, which only made her laugh some more. He made to strike her and she hit him so hard that he stumbled into Kentigem and knocked him over as he was going to strike Drake's beautiful face which already had a nasty cut over his left eye.

"Crouch low he's tall," Xena told him as she ducked when the man came back for her. He went over head and he was suddenly take down by a huge wolf she recognized as Bedwyr. They fought and Bedwyr snapped his neck with his jaws. Xena was quite surprised at the strength of his teeth. She knew they were strong, but now she knew they were really strong. Bedwyr changed back.

"He won't be bothering you again."

"Thanks, but I was kind of looking forward to killing him, I was just playing with him." Bedwyr grinned.

"A man's pride, seems fitting in you Naois." Xena grinned as well.

"Of course."

"I will throw you one of the buffalo from the other side."

"No, tell everyone to stop fighting, they're here for me." Bedwyr frowned but nodded. He transformed again and howled. They all retreated back, but the ones who she had come to think of as her pack surrounded her including the children and other women who came out of hiding. Llyr jumped down from the tree and stood at the head with Cahal and Bedwyr.

"Kill him!" Kentigem screamed. They all turned to see Drake standing over him. They were horribly bloody, but Kentigem was the worst. He was going to die and that was clear to them when they felt able to resist his words. Drake grabbed him by the neck.

"She is my wife and you're going to pay for trying to hurt her."

"Wait!" Xena exclaimed. He stopped and everyone looked at her.

"Leave him to his subjects to choose their new King. You can't be the next King." Drake dropped him and he crumbled under his own weight. Llyr stepped forward and clamped his teeth around Kentigem's neck. Xena flinched when he bit down, she didn't like to think Llyr was capable of that so early on in his life.

"Our King," Cahal whispered. The men of Arcadia and Drake watched all this in wonder. Gabrielle watched as well surprised that something so young had killed something so big. They howled and Xena had learned to recognize certain howls as names now. They were calling out Llyr. Kentigem's women and others came out and joined in as well. Llyr went to Bedwyr and in a submissive bow of his head handed over the title easily enough. Llyr would go down as being the first boy King of Queensland and now Bedwyr accepted the title without bloodshed. It was very rare, but the option was available just ignored. Llyr walked through the pack and took his place by her side. He was attached to Xena and they understood.

"Let Xena go!" Gabrielle screamed.

"You can't have her," Bedwyr told her.

"I just fought for her," Drake told him.

"You may take your mate, you have won her, but Naois is a man here and she will decide her old pack or her new pack." Xena smiled. He was giving her a choice. She looked around at her pack and they all wanted her to stay, but this was not her world and she missed her children desperately.

"I'll come visit again." They all moved accepting her choice. There were no hugs and kisses or goodbyes really. These words did not exist for them in Queensland. "I'll miss you all and so will Llyr." Llyr nudged one of the women.

"Is that her?" Xena asked Cahal. Cahal shook his head.

"He was once attached to her, in his way he is, but she is very old and knows that he must attach himself to someone younger to see him through to his adult years." Xena nodded.

"She's his grandmother than."

"What's a grandmother?" Cahal asked. Xena shook her head.

"The mother of a child's father or mother." Cahal nodded.

"See I still don't know what a mother or father is."

"One day you will." Xena walked over to Drake and took his hand. Llyr took her other and they walked towards their regiment or what was left, Queensland men were brutal fighters and very good. Body parts were everywhere it was not a pleasant sight.

"Xena," Gabrielle said happily. "I told them we should have done this in the first place."

"No, not good," Xena told her. "You killed a lot of people I got to know them and I would have preferred if their blood had not been spilled in name." Argo trotted over and she mounted. Drake lifted Llyr up beside her as everyone mounted up after collecting body parts. Once in the air they were able to create portals and leave after waving.

"Oh thank God!" Emily exclaimed. "Thank God, I thought she was going to get you two killed."

"She almost did," Drake told her as he dismounted.

"How're the girls?" Xena asked as Drake leaned on her.

"Eve broke her arm about a week ago and it won't heal and Melody is depressed, she needs her mother."

"Fetch them immediately. Use a portal to travel." Emily nodded and was gone. Xena's wounds were taken care of by the healer, but she took care of Drake, he had taken care of her and she would for him. Llyr remained by her at all times.

"You don't have to do this," Drake told her.

"Yes, I do, I love you, you're my husband and I'm going to take care of you, just like you do for me. Besides it's not often I get to do this."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Emily knocked on the door and entered with Eve who was crying.

"Eve!" Xena took her daughter careful of her arm. She kissed her forehead and apologized for leaving her for so long. She shifted her and took Melody in her left arm and kissed her forehead too. While Eve was not content to wait to have Xena to herself Melody was. She let her fix Eve's arm and give her an herb to help her sleep and even finish dressing Drake's wound before she cried with protest.

"Shhh…its okay, I know what you want." She nursed her and Melody suckled greedily and Xena's breasts were ready to burst since Llyr had stopped nursing. His teeth had simply gotten too sharp.

"Melody is a lucky baby," Drake commented with a yawn.

"Well no worries, the wedding is only three months from now."

"Oh yeah three long months of celibacy."

"The celibacy was your choice not mine."

"Well I'm not going to ruin anything for you, okay."

"Okay." Xena smoothed Melody's blond hair and kissed her forehead. She had missed both her children greatly and couldn't wait to play with them. Melody was nine months old now, she would be walking soon. She hummed to her and soon they were all fast asleep in the same bed as a family even Llyr joined them not wanting to be left out.


End file.
